Folding seat.



W. G. WINANS.

FOLDING SEAT. y APPLICATION FILED 1320.29, 1908.

Patented Nom-9,1909.v

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WESLEY G. VVINANS, OF SIOKANE, WASHINGTON.

FOLDING SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed Deceinber 2S, 1908. Serial No. 469,840.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVESLEY G. VINANS, a citizen of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Tashingtoin have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Seats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in foldingseats and'especially in what are known as seats adapted for application to store fixtures for use behind the counters; and the invention consists in certain novel features and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing my invention in connection with a counter. Fig. 2 is a side view of the improvement as in use, the seat being opened to position for use in full lines and folded in dotted lines to its normal out of use position, and F ig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, on about the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, the seat A is supported upon a part B of the fixture by means of an intermediate block C. The fixture B may be part of the counter fixture as shown in Fig. 1 or it may be a part of the shelving fixture in rear of the counter and the block C is secured to the fixture and is preferably of a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of the 4seat A, and below the said seat so that the seat when folded to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 will form no substantial projection beyond the face of the block C. A hinge connects the block C and the seat A, the said hinge having a pintle D, a strap D1 secured to the face of the block C and a strap D2 secured to the underside or bottom of the seat A.

A spring actuated plate E is pivoted at E1 in connection with the block C and presses at its free end E2 below the strap D2 of the seat A and'slides along the said strap when the seat is moved between the full and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 2 and abuts at its free edge E2 against a stop A1 on the underside of the seat when the latter is moved to the full line position shown in Fig. 2 and so limits the opening movement of the seat and supports it in the desired position for use. This spring actuated plate E is preferably one leaf of a spring hinge having a spring E3 and also having a leaf E4 secured to the leaf Dl of the hinge connecting the block and the seat A, as shown in the drawing.

In the operation of this construction when the seat is in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to adjust the same for use, it is only necessary to lower the seat to the dotted position against the action of the spring E3, operating through the plate E upon the seat by the sliding of said plate E at E2 along the hinge strap D2 as the seat is moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and full lines in Fig. 2, the

seat being stopped` in such position by the abutment of the spring actuated plate E at its edge E2 against the stop A1, as shown in Fig. 2. Then when the person rises from the seat, it will automatically by the action of the spring actuated plate return to its normal out of use position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and indicated in dotted lines in Eig. 2, so it will be entirely out of the way except when it is desired for use.

It will be noticed, especially from Figs. 2 and 3, that the pintle D is located above the block C and between the same and the seat A, and that the pintle El of the spring hinge is located below the pintle D, this arrangement provided for supporting a portion of the weight of the seat directly on the pintle of the spring hinge when the seat is in use, thus relieving the engagement of the spring actuating plate E with the stop A1 to a considerable extent in the practical use of the invention.

Ill/Then not in use the automatic folding stool will be entirely out of the way, taking up less than one and one-half inches in space and thus making it especially desirable in quarters where the space is limited.

In connection with this invention I desire to call attention to my co-pending appli cation Serial No. 511,282, folding seats, filed August 5, 1909.

I claim:

1. In a stool substantially as described,the combination of a fixture, a seat, a block approximately equal in thickness to the seat and secured to the fixture, a hinge having one strap secured to the block and the other strap secured to the underside of the seat, a spring hinge having one leaf secured to the block below the pintle of the first hinge and its other leaf sliding along the underside of the hinge leaf secured to the seat, and a stop on the underside of said leaf for engagement by the free edge of the spring actuated leaf, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a seat and a sup- 5 porting block, of a hinge having straps secured one to the block and the other to the Seat, and a pintle above the block and betWeen the same and the seat and a spring actuated plate pivoted at one end below 10 the said hinge pntle and in advance thereof l l l and arranged atits free edge to slide along the hinge strap on the seatin opening and closing the seat, and a stop projection for engagement by the free edge of said spring actuated plate to limit the Opening move- 15 nient of the seat, Substantially as Set forth.

VESLEY G. WINANS. Witnesses JOHN W. HOGAN,

A. A. HOLDEN. 

